BEOGRAD – As the January transfer window drew to a close on Monday, Serbian champions Partizan worked hard and quickly to further strengthen their squad ahead of the spring leg of the league season.
After signing Prince Tagoe and former player Zvonimir Vukic, Partizan have sealed a loan move for 21-year-old Ghanaian striker Dominic Adiyiah and will be attacking a second consecutive domestic double with a much more competitive squad. The AC Milan player, whose loan spell with Partizan will last at least until the end of the season, signed a clause in the loan contract which enables Partizan to potentially buy out his contract and sign a full deal in the forthcoming summer transfer window. After finishing the paperwork and a medical at Humska, Adiyiah, together with Tagoe and Vukic, joined the squad in Antalya, Turkey for the mid-season training period.
Dominic Adiyiah is a product of Ghana-based football academy set up by Dutch club Feyenoord. He played his first senior professional football with Feyenoord Academy, then moved to Heat of Lions, where he stayed only during the 2007-08 season. Adiyia then travelled to Europe and signed for Norwegian side Fredrikstad for €125,000. After shining at the Under-20 World Cup where he became the top scorer of the tournament and Ghana won the event, Adiyiah was contacted by AC Milan and moved to San Siro for a €500,000 transfer fee.
Adiyiah was also part of Ghana’s squad at the 2010 World Cup, where he was trained by Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac.
- “I called up Adiyiah into the World Cup squad and he made his debut against Germany in the last group game. It was actually his header in the dying moments of the overtime in the quarter-final against Uruguay that Luis Suárez stopped with his both hands and got a red card for it. Dominic took the responsibility to take the penalty, but was unlucky and the ball bounced off the crossbar. He was the best young player of his generation and undoubtedly has potential,” Rajevac said of Adiyiah.
How would you describe Adiyiah as a striker?
- “He is a very dangerous player, with a very low centre of gravity, explosive and quick. He uses his head and feet equally well, but has yet to be given a real chance to show how much he is worth.”
Sounds like you are describing a Romario-type player?
- “Well, let’s say they have certain similarities.”
While in Ghana you worked wither another Partizan winter signing from that country – Prince Tagoe.
- “Tagoe is very versatile. He was a central attacker in my team, but also can threaten the goal operating down the flanks. Prince has a long stride and is great in the air. He has played in Saudi Arabia, where I work now, and then moved to German side 1899 Hoffenheim. I think he learned the necessary discipline while in Germany and that could be an important asset for him in the future.”
How do you estimate Partizan’s business in the transfer window given these players have only come here on loan?
- “Regardless of everything I think they have done a great job brining these players. It’s most important for Prince and Adiyiah to be given a chance to play and they will most definitely get one at Partizan. I think the two of them will make a terrific partnership,” concluded Milovan Rajevac, Al-Ahli coach.
While in Antalya with the squad preparing for the spring season in the Serbian Superliga, Partizan boss Aleksandar Stanojevic has greeted the news from Belgrade of three new additions to the squad with a smile.
- “Cleo is set to leave, Moreira is no longer part of the team, neither is Boya and we are waiting on the situation with Marko Jovanovic to see whether he stays or not. Cleo will be replaced by Prince Tagoe and we have Adiyiah here as well, while Vukic will fill in the position vacated by Moreira’s departure. Should Jovanovic go to, we will find a replacement for him, too. I firmly believe twenty-odd days is enough for new signings to fit in with the squad. We will see whether the forthcoming preparation period will be enough for Vukic to regain fitness in time for the first game. Knowing his abilities and if fit to play, Vukic will always have a place in the team.”
Two other players who have arrived on loan and joined Partizan squad in Antalya are Boca Juniors’ Leandro Rodrigo Kuszko and Gaston Amadeo Rossi.
- “They are young prospects and we will be assessing the situation and whether we need them at this moment. They are working with the team in Antalya and when we return to Belgrade we will make the final decision on whether they stay or not. We are now fully focused on training and test matches,” concluded Partizan coach Aleksandar Stanojevic.
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BEOGRAD – As the January transfer window drew to a close on Monday, Serbian champions Partizan worked hard and quickly to further strengthen their squad ahead of the spring leg of the league season. After signing Prince Tagoe and former player Zvonimir Vukic, Partizan have sealed a loan move for 21-year-old Ghanaian striker Dominic Adiyiah [...]
